Ag m/42
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The Automatgevär m/42 (Ag m/42), commonly known as the AG42, AG-42 or Ljungman, is a Swedish semi-automatic rifle. It was designed by Erik Eklund of the AB C.J. Ljungmans Verkstäder company of Malmö around 1941, and entered production at the Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in Eskilstuna in 1942. Some 30 000 rifles were manufactured in all to the Swedish Army.
After a number of problems had been discovered, including a serious problem with rust, the existing stocks of the rifle were modified between 1953 and 1956, and the reworked rifles were designated Ag m/42B. Modifications included stainless steel gas tube, two knobs on the breech cover, new elevation knob for the rear sight, a rubber case-deflector, new magazines and new cleaning rod.
The AG42 is operated by means of a direct impingement gas system, similar to that of the French MAS-49 and American M16 rifles. The Ljungman also uses a tilting breech-block like the Tokarev SVT-38 / SVT-40 and FN FAL rifles.
The Ljungman uses the 6.5 x 55 mm cartridge, loaded into a removable 10-round box magazine. In practice, however, the magazine is left attached to the rifle while it is loaded from the top with five-round stripper clips.
The AG42 was replaced in Swedish service in the 1960s by the Heckler and Koch derived Ak 4
The Ljungman was used as the basis for the Egyptian Hakim rifle, which uses the 8 x 57 mm Mauser cartridge. The Hakim was built with the same machine tools used for the Ljungman, after Sweden sold the machinery to Egypt. Eventually, the Hakim was modified into a carbine using the intermediate-power 7.62 x 39 mm Russian cartridge, called the Rasheed or Rashid.
